TUCSON, AZ—Today, Angela Julene Ortiz, 58, of Menagers Dam, Ariz., was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Raner C. Collins to an 18-month term of imprisonment. Ortiz had plead guilty to a single count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens for profit. She will self-surrender on Dec 19, 2014.

The evidence showed that from 2012 to 2013, Ortiz was the elected Gu Vo District chairwoman on the Tohono O’odham Indian Nation. During the same time period, Ortiz was the leader and organizer of a conspiracy to recruit drivers to transport illegal aliens and coordinate with others to receive the illegal aliens in Phoenix. Ortiz would then split the proceeds with the transporter receiving on average $2000.00 per alien transported.

The investigation in this case was jointly conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Public Corruption Task Force, and the U.S. Border Patrol. The prosecution was handled by Lawrence Lee, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.